After many months of planning, designing, and stitching (and excited anticipation on our Guild’s part), throughout the weekend of May 3rd and 4th, Linda Lautenschlager of Chessie and Me, presented her eager pupils
with two wonderful projects designed for the Tudor Rose Sampler Guild.
Linda presented us with wonderfully packaged kits for both projects – with our threads already labeled and carded – such a treat! The linens are beautiful and the threads are delightful.
Our Saturday project was the Tudor Rose Stitch Book. The project was for a “smalls” book-shaped box to feature the cover piece.
On the inside, Linda designed a small stitched piece to create a pin cushion as well as storage for the lovely little scissor fob.
The scissor fob is very sweet and features the stitcher’s initials and a Tudor Rose.
Linda is a very lovely teacher, who has been designing for over 20 years, offering projects in counted cross-stitch, wool applique and punchneedle. Both classes with Linda were very laid back and made for a very relaxing weekend.
As you can see her students, got busy with their stitching and were very intent on their work.
Our Saturday class included a new technique that gave us another way to simply finish small projects. The box you see in the original kit unveiling is a simple brown papier maché book-shaped box. But wait they are red here in this picture, but in the picture of the completed model, the book is black. Linda taught us how to simply paint the brown boxes red for an underlay coat, after a little bit of drying (and some more stitching time), we came back and put a little bit of wax on our red boxes, then we repainted our boxes with a layer of black paint. After a little more time needed for paint-drying (and stitching), we came back and we distressed our boxes with a little sandpaper. The trick was the wax – it kept the red from coming off – but allowed the black to pull away to give the box a nice distressed look. Once everything was dry, after lunch, Linda showed us how to create the lovely antique paper lining look shown in the box above. She made it look easy and it really was easy.
We returned on Sunday morning to receive our second project kit, the Rose & Crown Sampler. Linda did such a lovely job.
As you can see, everyone was very concentrated throughout the weekend. I will say, we all had a lovely time and we all accomplished a lot in our short time with Linda.
Although it is hard to see in the photos, each of Linda’s projects included a few specialty stitches, which really added different looks to the various motifs featured in the pieces.
My favorite is the little kitty and the queen in the Rose & Crown Sampler.
Here is Linda even using a great little stitch board to demonstrate better stitching methods.
Linda also surprised everyone with a little corner square for easy measuring when beginning new projects. Many of us had Linda autograph them!
Last, but not least, Linda treated us with a trunk show and brought patterns for each of the pieces for a mini-sale. Needless to say, I know a few patterns made it into my bag and I know many other students enjoyed the goodies she offered for us to purchase. I do not think many patterns went home with her. Linda, thank you for such a generous offering to our Guild. If you are a member of a different guild, you should really consider contacting Linda to create a project (or teach an existing project). She is very warm, funny and knowledgeable. I would definitely take another class in the future.
She was A+ in my book. Linda, thank you for such a lovely weekend!
